November 25, 2013

Good afternoon everyone! It is so great to be this close to Thanksgiving, I am so grateful for everyone in my life!  So four months from yesterday I left home for the MTC... crazy.  But i have loved it!  I am running low on emailing time but I do want to share a little about my week.  Unfortunately we lost a few of our investigators this week, two of which were doing very well the problem was J's husband found out she was reading the Book of Mormon and he made her give it back to A ( our other investigator) who now feels bad because J's husband will not let them be friends anymore. So now A doesn't want anything to do with the church. Bummer I am really finding it hard to feel Christlike towards the husband at the moment but he will have to come to terms and face the consequences of keeping a willing soul from the gospel.  Another one of our investigators moved to Illinois, so that was also a bummer so we will be giving the Illinois mission a call in the next few days.  We did have a very powerful lesson with our friend L, the whole lesson was centered around building faith and trying the experiment found in the 32nd Chapter of Alma.  We are so excited to follow up with him.  

My though for the week is simple and yet so powerful.  With it being Thanksgiving I am grateful for trials in my life, especially here on my mission. Trials mean that God thinks that we are prepared and ready to grow stronger so here is a poem that President Monson shared this past conference that applies well.  

Good timber does not grow with ease,

The stronger wind, the stronger trees.

The further sky, the greater length.

The more the storm, the more the strength.

By sun and cold, by rain and snow, 

In trees and men good timbers grow. 

~Douglas Malloch, "Good Timber,"

With that I add Proverbs 3; 11-13 Talking about how Whom the Lord loveth he Chastens.    Our trails are meant to help us turn to the Lord and rely on him, He does not expect us to do it alone.  We have a savior who has suffered every pain, sorrow, challenge, strife, and sin we have ever gone through.  So that he can better succor his people.   Alma 7; 11-13 tells us that it is him that we can turn to for comfort and peace. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am so Thankful for my God and my Savior, for this free country, and for the opportunity I have to help people grow in their faith.  

Love you all,

Elder Ward

November 18, 2013

Happy Birthday Elder Ward!

November 18, 2013

Hello Everyone! I have had a great week!  I am running low on time so I need to be quick.  So this week was good, we had a lot of opportunities to talk with people.  This week was the Primary Program in Church where all the kids got to sing. So they invited all of their friends/relatives to hear them so we were able to meet them all!  This is an exciting week, we will hopefully have the chance to invite 4 people to be Baptized.  It is so exciting to see them and their countenance literally brighten as they  read in the Book of Mormon everyday and grow closer to Christ.  

 Again I'm sorry it was so short this week but I will have a lot to talk about next week.  My spiritual thought comes from Mathew this week.  In chapter 4 of Mathew Christ is fasting to begin his ministry, and three times satan comes to tempt Christ and every time Christ combats him with scripture saying "It is written"  I know that the scriptures can protect us from satans grasp. If we are reading them everyday we are strengthened and protected.  In the Armor of God everything is to protect and defend us, but the Sword of Truth or the Scriptures is the only thing used for an offensive weapon.  I testify that as we read daily in the scriptures we can gain power over satan and better resist his petty and idiotic temptations.  

I love you all so much and hope you have another great week!!!!

 ~Elder Ward

Pictures from November 11, 2013

The Sheboygan Elders, November 2013

Transfer Day!

Sweet!  A TIE fighter...in a field...

20 degrees in Rhinelander, its balmy!

Rhinelander's legendary Hodag

November 11, 2013

Hello Everyone and Happy Veterans Day!  Thank you to all those who have served and are serving today!  It means so much to me to be able to live in a free country where the Gospel of Jesus Christ could be restored and I have the right to go forth and preach it. So thank you so much!  

I have transferred to the north woods of Wisconsin in Rhinelander, our area is huge! It would take us three hours to go from the west end of our area to the east end.  The ward in the area is smaller but the saints here are so diligent and faithful! Some members have to drive 72 miles just to get to church every Sunday.  Their temple is in a different state 4 Hours away.  They have such a desire to share the Book of Mormon with their friends!  I hope we all can have the same dedication to share the blessings of the gospel with our friends and families.  

So Rhinelander is cold, about a 20 degree difference from my last area, it is usually in the 20's but i've been able to stay warm and i haven't even whipped out my thermals and wool socks. I am excited to see 6 feet of snow, I haven't seen that since my sophomore year where it snowed 3 feet over night and then another foot while I was snowboarding.  My new companion and I don't have much to work with as far as investigators go so we will have to find our own. We have been tracting for about 3-4 hours each day to try and find those who are interested.  So far it is hard to find people home but we will keep at it.  

This week I want to talk about prayer and the amazing gift that it is!  We have a direct comunication to the ultimate source of power and comfort in existence. Our Father in Heaven is always there for us.  We can turn to Him any time and he will strengthen us. I have really felt that this past week, I'm in a new area, its cold, there aren't many people interested in the gospel, and I don't want to knock on doors.  But I have prayed for strength and desire and I testify that when we have faith that God can change us He does.  I found that I didn't notice the cold, that I was excited to talk to new people.  I know that that is not me, my attitude was changed and I was strengthened by the Lord through His Atonement. I am so grateful for the prayers of everyone, my family and friends and those all over the world, I can feel that love and power from everyone. I don't know how I could do it with out prayer.  Alma taught us to "let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually" alma 34;27 We can't do it without prayer!  

Have an amazing week everyone! Get ready for thanksgiving! I love you all!

Elder Ward